Zambia Announces 14 Days Of Mourning For Late President

LUSAKA – The Zambian government has announced 14 days of national mourning following the death of President Michael Sata in London earlier this week.



"I wish to announce that President Sata will be accorded a 14 day national mourning," Cabinet secretary Roland Msiska told a press conference on Friday.



He said that the mourning period will start on Wednesday, November 5.



"During this period, all activities of entertainment in nature are cancelled. Instead solemn music will be played throughout on both radio and television stations," Msiska said.



On Wednesday, the Zambian government officially confirmed that Sata, 77, had died in London one day earlier. It went on to name Vice-President Guy Scot as acting president for a 90-day period.



Msiska said that Sata's body will return to Zambia from London on Saturday.



"I wish to correct the earlier announcement where it was said that the body of President Sata will be brought home today (Friday). I regret to announce that the program has been changed," he said.



"The correct position is that the body of the president will be brought home on Saturday 1st November 2014 at 10 hours Zambian time," he added.



The Zambian official said that Sata's body will be received at Lusaka International Airport by acting president Scot.



"The acting president will lead all protocols when President Sata's body arrives at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport after which the body will be led to Mulungushi International Conference where Dr. Scot is expected to lay a wreath in a brief ceremony," he said.



He said that the body of the late president will lie in at the Conference Center until November 9.



Msiska said that a thanks-giving ceremony will be held at parliament on November 10 and the burial will be conducted on November 11.



The Cabinet secretary said that the public will be allowed to see the body of the late president on Sunday at the Mulungushi Conference Center on a daily basis.



"I also wish to advise people outside Lusaka that arrangements are being made to mount big television screens in all provincial centers to enable them follow the funeral proceedings via those mounted screens," he said.



"It is a considered view of cabinet and the family that people who cannot afford to travel to Lusaka for the funeral will be accorded an opportunity to follow the funeral proceedings through the television," he added.



Sata had led his Patriotic Front (PF) to victory in 2011 after defeating President Rupiah Banda of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD).



Sata had contested three presidential polls in 2001, 2006 and 2008 before winning the 2011 elections.



By Francis Maingaila



englishnews@aa.com.tr



www.aa.com.tr/en - Lusaka